The London Lightning are losing a major piece of their NBL Canada championship team. Head coach Kyle Julius is stepping down following the team’s 2017 championship season.
“It’s been an unbelievable experience,” Julius told AM 980. “But, I’ve got to make sure that my family is happy, I’ve got to make sure that my family is looked after and I knew this was just something that I had to do.”
Julius spent two seasons with the Lightning, taking them to the league finals both years. Last year the Lightning lost to Halifax in seven games. This season, London defeated Halifax in six games.
When you add up the numbers, Julius orchestrated two of the best years that the London Lightning have enjoyed as a franchise. Overall, his teams compiled a 61-19 regular season record and a 21-8 mark in the playoffs.
This past season, London broke their own league record for most wins in a single season with 35. They had 33 in 2012-13, the last time they won the NBL Canada championship.
It has been quite a run for the 37-year old, former All-Canadian from the University of Guelph. Julius was a member of the Canadian National basketball team and played professionally in Italy before returning to North America. His first contact with the Lightning came as a player. Julius dressed for two games during London’s inaugural season.
He was an outstanding three-point shooter, who was recruited to play NCAA Division-1 basketball at Furman and spent two seasons with the Paladins, making the Southern Conference All-Rookie team in 1998-99.
His coaching career hit its highest point professionally with the Lightning, but it began almost immediately following the end of his run as a player. Julius founded A-Game Hoops, a development program that works to develop basketball players at all levels, including the NBA.
Julius admits that he does not have a next destination in mind.
“I’m going to take the summer to spend some more time at home. I’m going to work aggressively work to better myself as a coach and I’m going to hope that my winning percentage and the way that we developed guys lands me an opportunity as a coach and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
No replacement has been named.
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